A Secret Well Worthy Of Tricksters
by Mikoto Shinigami
Summary: Xellos, typically a pretty arrogant mazoku, is bumped down into such a situation where he can't be so sure. It's difficult to deal with Lina-tachi this way, but Zelgadis--? To help him, the most unlikely: Zel x Xel, yaoi.
1. Greetings

**Disclaimer**: I DON'T OWN SLAYERS OH EHM EFF JEE. –flail.- Anyways, Xel x Zel, and I tried to write one that's romantic that makes SOME sense…since Xellos is just too evil a character to love. Realistically speaking, yes, it's true: Xellos is heartless. Oo Damn cute, though. WOO! Eh. Yeah. READ, YOU FOOLS! Part one is short. X

Part one

Greetings

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and I was well rested in the shade of a tree upon one of its branches, waiting for the right time.

For what?

Well -- that's a secret, I'm afraid. The best you can do is sit around with me and hear what happened, hm?

Anyways, my thoughts had been wandering and I grew somewhat impatient with anticipation. It had been so long since I'd been in the company of easily riled, too precious for words, wild spirited, chaotic and petite sorceresses by the name of Lina Inverse. And now… now, I got to see her and her silly comrades. It was most promising! I wasn't ordered to go by them, specifically, no. But they had the same route as I did, and I knew I could use them if I wanted to. And I did.

Deciding now would be a good time of day (meaning the most inconvenient for her); my form flickered out of the primary plane and back to the astral plane. Once there, I pinpointed my desired location.

Lina was staggering with two males along a dusty road. Gourry Gabriev, a talented swordsman, though his wits weren't as sharp as his swords blade. Then there was the other, the chimera called Zelgadis Greywords-- surprising he was grouped with the sorceress, but in retrospect, perhaps not. Their paths often crossed. It was all except Amelia Wil Testla Seyruun it seemed. Who was an upbeat, naïve princess who had a sort of uncanny passion for what was just. She was most likely busy attending her queenly duties, as she had to retire from her life on the road with Lina. This was very fortunate on my part, considering that her optimism was enough to throw a mazoku into severe depression. Thankfully, a golden dragon called Filia was also absent from Lina's company. The said female dragon had settled down somewhere. She and I never got along, being two members of two races that are eternally at war with each other. I hadn't dropped by to visit her, but I decided to take it into consideration once _this _was over, since she was great for meal tickets. This mission was related to her in a sense, anyways. Which was…untoward.

As I watched them from the astral plane, I noticed that Lina was unusually downbeat; shambling like an ape, groaning like a dragon in heat, and looking rather sickly. Gourry seemed in similar conditions. It made sense after her words came into coherency.

"Oh man… I'm so hungry… I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse and chase the jockey," she said weakly. Gourry grunted imperceptibly in agreement. Zelgadis looked his usual healthy self (aside being made of stone and all of that), however, and he made a sort of scoff.

"Well, you ate us into impoverishment, Lina," Zelgadis said sagaciously as he followed suite of the starving duo. "Kind of ironic, really, seeing that you're starving at this very moment."

Lina grumbled something about Zelgadis being lucky she was too hungry to even care to blow him up and went about her moaning. Zelgadis sighed in response as she began to complain again, Gourry chiming her on with unusual grunts and groans in understanding. I found this to be the perfect time, oh yes.

Without a sound, I reappeared on the primary plane. Of course, sound didn't mean a thing to Lina right now. She was able to find me with a twitch of her nose, and same with Gourry. It made sense, I suppose, since my arms were full with sausage links, mutton, well aged wine, cheese, and fresh vegetables. The two wheeled around wildly, and Lina didn't even take the time to register me since she was so distracted by the food. They both ran at me. Gourry tripped on himself, resulting in one of the most beautiful face-plants I'd seen in awhile. Lina, however, was able to crash right into me and successfully knock me over. Something I could have easily avoided, but I knew it would stir more entertainment this way. As though on cue to my assumptions, Zelgadis jogged after Lina, who was busily trying to consume my left arm.

"Hello there, Zelgadis-san!" I said brightly. Silence and glowering from him in return to my greeting, and I looked back down to Lina, who was able to relocate her mouth onto the food as oppose to my appendages. Gourry yanked me up after he'd gotten back to his feet and grabbed the sausage links. No sooner than they'd been snatched from me, they were gone and on their way into the swordsman's belly. Lina scrambled to her feet as well, and I dropped the food before I was caught in the crossfire as the two began to fight over the food I'd brought.

Zelgadis tapped his foot, waiting for the two to finish. I stepped back from them and stood beside Zelgadis as we both watched with mild awe at how insanely the two humans were performing just on the means of getting some grub. After they were finished, they were both breathless from their combat over the food. Lina caught her breath and blinked, turning to me.

"Oh. Hey, Xellos," Gourry said obliviously. Lina coughed and rubbed the back of her head, and before she could speak, the characteristic smirk I wore grew.

"You're welcome," I said superficially. Zelgadis turned to me, creasing his brows. No doubt, he was going to question my entrance and my reasons. I smiled, waiting for him to ask as I returned the stare.

"You're up to something," Zelgadis stated flatly. I chuckled. "Aren't I always?" He sighed, irritated, and turned his back on me.

"I doubt you're going to be revealing anything. We're on our way to Arxentos," Zelgadis half growled, and began going down the path once more. "At least, I am." Lina, rejuvenated, nodded.

"Yeah…there's no use trying to get anything out of you," she agreed, and then half glanced to me. "Do you…have any money? We were thinking about renting out a room in an inn and supplying ourselves with some food and water before we head out again," she said very quickly. I laughed quietly, waving my hand jokily. "Of course. I wouldn't come unprepared," I responded. She grinned and grabbed my wrist, running after Zelgadis. Gourry followed suite of us.

A short time later, we were all walking in silence. It was painstakingly dull, but that didn't mean I'd just go away. Lina and Zelgadis knew I was up to something, but they were smart about it and decided to use me since I'd be around anyways. As it usually went. It'd only fair to be used by people you were using, isn't it? I'd say so!


	2. Of Dragons, Demons and Chimeras?

**Disclaimer/A/N**: I DON'T OWN SLAYYYERRRZZ! Kapow!

Sorry the last chapter was a little wonky after the disclaimer. It was probably a little confusing. Anyways… this chapter sort of gets right to the point; I hope my readers don't mind. That is, if I have any. XD; And…hmm. This chapter is a bit longer. 3 Enjoi, R/R!

Part two

Of dragons, demons, humans and…chimera's?

After we'd checked into the inn, Gourry and Lina picked out a table to have a second breakfast at. Lina ordered everything on the menu in double portion, and Gourry ordered the same. Zelgadis ordered up some coffee and toast, and I just simply sat there, hands on my lap and back straight.

Zelgadis was already greatly aggravated with my appearance. I knew he couldn't stand the way I smiled, talked, walked, or even sat. Just now, he stated the very reason why, just under the audio of Lina and Gourry having another battle over rations so that only I could hear him.

"You reek of arrogance," he commented, watching Lina and Gourry. I continued to grin, also watching the two. Zelgadis and I made no effort to even make eye contact.

"You reek of anger -- which is why I'm not going to stop, because I know it bothers you. This is my meal time as well, you see," I said with a toothy grin, turning to him with an index finger beside my cheek. I waved it a little. "And you're really quite an easy supplier, considering all I'm doing is being myself!" Zelgadis growled and turned to his coffee after the waiter had just dropped it off, and I chuckled, watching the humans again. Silly things.

After Lina and Gourry had finished their meals, they kicked back on their chairs, sighing with gratitude. Mostly because it was all on me, I was sure.

Lina, picking at her teeth, addressed me.

"So, Xellos, what do ya got for us this time?" she inquired, and Gourry nearly tipped over on his chair, getting a little too relaxed. I smiled without decent explanation. "An offer," I said. She looked over to me heavily.

"Hmm… not surprising… what are you after?" My. Was it twenty questions? They didn't cross the boundary of anything they weren't allowed to know, so I went about answering. "There is an interesting spell manuscript not too far from here," I explained. Zelgadis turned to me, as I'd finally gotten his attention. "It's ancient and lost in the ruins of a temple that once belonged to rebel mazoku."

Lina blinked, picking her teeth again. "Reh-uhl 'ahzo-hu?" I nodded. "They were mazoku that were aligned with the dragons." Zelgadis spit his coffee at that time, sputtering.

"The dragons and mazoku were allied!" he asked loudly, eyes wide. I sweatdropped since what he was saying sounded so…disgusting.

"Well," I started again uneasily. Lina and Gourry were watching me, too. Apparently, they were much more interested in the temples history than what it was I was after. "That's not quite it. A small percentage of mazoku…meaning just a handful of a troth full," I added quickly. "They allied themselves with the dragons after a peace treaty behind the backs of the mazoku majority." They continued to stare, and I sighed, spilling the entire story as they wished.

"We're still not quite sure why they turned on us -- and certainly not for the good like some other more…recent traitors," I supplemented, remembering the Demon Dragon King. "So I can't completely elaborate. The dragons were more than happy than to gain the alliance of the mazoku, but still kept on their toes.

"The group worked as a sort of clinic, combining otherworldly knowledge's to help humans--" I winced inwardly. "And any other creature, really. They worked to relieve whatever ailed the people, and soon grew to a great power, and decided they'd join the hierarchy of dragons to try and protect…" Their eyes were wide, still on me. "To protect…protect…" I felt nauseous. "To p-protect the world," I finally got out, and then winced visibly.

Lina raised her eyebrows. "Wow. I didn't think it was possible for mazoku and dragons to join forces!" She sounded somewhat sarcastic. Stammering, I held my hands before myself open palmed. "W-well, yes, don't jump to conclusions," I said nervously. "It could have been quite possible the mazoku had ulterior motives--"

"So then why wouldn't they share their plans with the chain of command mazoku?" She pressed on. I was certain sweat was beading on my flesh...

"B-because! It could have been that they were going to overthrow us, of course, and didn't want us knowing about it," I countered.

"Are you suuure?" Lina's grin became sly. "What if they held hands for the sake of the world and the humans with the said species between the two enemy races, hmm?"

My eyebrow twitched a bit. "What are you implying?"

She held the back of her hand to her mouth, laughing haughtily. "Say they joined forces as the world was at the brink of destruction by some ethereal force, and they joined hands so as to protect what they felt was theirs!" I tumbled out of my chair, and quickly scrambled back into it.

"Y-you mean…"

"Yes. Like you and Filia," Lina chimed teasingly. I knew better than to get flustered, but there really was no other subject that would get me this way other than being accused of those particular things with dragons. Especially selfish, snooty, stuck-up, adolescent ones with irritating obsessions for antiques and tea…

"Th-that could be a reason to join forces, if the world was actually in trouble then. And mind you, I didn't help to protect the world and to help the dragons--" I pointed out, but was interrupted by Lina again. "Yeah, you just did it so you could destroy it later, I know, I know." She giggled, and then waved her hand. "Go on."

I paused to recover, and complied with her.

"So…regardless of their motives, we weren't let in on it. And, so," I began, and Lina nodded. "You went to war with them?" I seconded her nod. "I've never heard of a war like that," Lina said distantly, as though trying to recover such an event from her historical knowledge. I smirked. "Well, it wasn't much of a war -- we were victorious in less than twelve minutes," I said braggingly.

Lina sweatdropped. "Oh…" I grinned cattishly and nodded. "And that's why the temple is in ruins, you see." Zelgadis's fine, elongated ears gave a bit of a twitch.

"So what is it the spell manuscript holds?" He asked, and it was apparent what was on his mind.

"I'm not entirely certain," I responded, and Zelgadis slammed his head on the table, causing the plates to rattle. "I wasn't exclusively clued in on just what use it is to us, either." Of course, I still _did_ get information. Just not all of it -- so I was telling the truth. I wasn't _exclusively_ told everything... But I knew enough. It was their fault for not asking me.

"Then how do you know which spell script to look for? I doubt there's only one scroll in that temple," Zelgadis indicated impatiently, lifting his head again, looking dully to me. My. I felt like I was getting interviewed by these people!

"I'll know," I assured him, not wanting to exactly reveal anymore than I should. No doubt, Zelgadis was very interested now. A temple dedicated to healings, and tons of abandoned scrolls.

"I don't know about you two," Zelgadis said as he stood with a bit of a grunt, looking to Lina and Gourry. "But this has certainly caught my interest. Before I go to the temple of Arxentos, I'd like to drop by this temple."

"It's much closer than Arxentos," I informed Lina and Gourry. "And scrolls weren't their only item of hoarding," I went on, laying it on for Lina to be interested. "There's probably treasure."

Lina smiled and stood, brushing herself off. Gourry shrugged and did the same. "Alright. Lead the way, Xellos. And no funny stuff."

"Always making sure I don't get to have any fun, aren't you?"

After the band had gotten the proper traveling needs, I lead them out. We'd been walking for a couple of hours, Gourry and Zelgadis exchanging small talk and Lina probing me for my clandestine aims, we came to a stop in favor of Lina. "Can't you just transport us there?" I chuckled. "Humans can't be brought into the astral plane too often. Certainly not multiple ones, either. Above and beyond, my sort of abilities isn't welcome to that temple."

Lina sweatdropped. "Does that mean the mazoku who used to live in that temple couldn't use their astral powers?"

I shook my head. "No. After the ruins were destroyed, someone put a protection spell on it." In contradiction to her asking of my teleportation abilities, I asked, "And can't you and Zelgadis use Ray Wing?"

Lina shuffled her feet a bit and said quietly, "Gourry can't fly." I smirked at her consideration, but decided not to tease her on her more than apparent feelings towards Gourry, and resumed leading them to the temple.

Not too long after, we'd finally made it.

We rummaged around for a bit, trying to look for the scroll. They kept asking what it looked like, and I told them each time 'like any other scroll'. It didn't make much sense to them, I suppose, but I was going to be able to seek the scroll simply by its aura. They didn't ask for its aura, now did they? Not that they could probably even feel it.

I rolled over a bust statue of a devious dragon sculpture, and beneath it lay a dusty roll of parchment. I picked it up and unraveled it, blowing off its dust. Ahh. There was the signature aura.

"Ah! Here it is!" I exclaimed, and the other three collected beside me. Lina clapped her hands together. "Great! Good job, Xellos!" She snatched it from my hands greedily and opened it up again. "I bet this is worth more than any other treasure in here." Zelgadis looked as though he were about to protest, but she went on, "What the heck!" She rotated the parchment a bit. "I can't read this!"

"It's an unchecked language, that's why," I said smartly, resnatching it. "It's a combination of draconian and mazoku." Lina looked surprised that there was a written mazoku language. Again, I unrolled it.

When I looked to the text long enough to absorb its coherency, my eyes opened to get a better look, as it was rather intriguing. My distinctive smirk had faded, and my eyes busily scanned the text. I raised my eyebrows. "Ohh…how interesting."

"What is it?" Gourry asked childishly.

The smirk returned, and it was widespread -- smug with what was concealed within the scroll, and the fact that at this moment, only I knew. I lifted my eyes from the text, still open, and glanced over to Lina. When she returned my gaze, I closed my eyes again. "I think that this may be more of use to Zelgadis-san than to you, Lina-san."

Lina went wide eyed, as did Zelgadis. "What!" they both demanded. I chuckled, rolling up the parchment.

"But, I was ordered to retrieve it. I wouldn't have had you come and help me if it wasn't for my own gain, now would I?" I slipped the parchment into my bag. "So I suppose I must be running--"

Zelgadis had quickly found himself by my side, and he snagged me off my feet by my collar. Testy, as always. "Come on!" He shouted, shaking me. "You can't just leave! At least tell me what it says! If you say it has more relevance to me, I don't doubt it!" Again, he was a good judge of my character. I wasn't lying, and he knew that. I was someone to bend the truth if not leave it alone, not completely turn it around or substitute it.

"Well, I certainly won't be of any use in this position," I said. Zelgadis growled low in his throat and set me down to my feet.

"You probably should tell us _something_," Lina said, half meaning it, as she was distracted with loading up gems and the like. I chuckled at the contrast of Lina's contentment and Zelgadis's disconcert. I uplifted a hand and daintily swayed it from side to side, imitating some sea-worthy vessel or perhaps a tipsy create mid-flight. "...I could, but it's a little shaky," I said in a singsong voice.

"That's crap," Zelgadis barked, and I laughed, holding up my hands in defense. "Don't get crotchety with me," I insisted. "I'll share the scroll with you -- or at least its contents, should you be able to do something in return."

Zelgadis frowned. "What could I possibly offer a mazoku?" I shrugged, smiling, and prepared to take my leave again. "Well -- if you really needed this information, you'd think of something, now wouldn't you?"

My form fizzed, and before I could materialize into the astral plane, Zelgadis blurted out: "Anything!" I stayed, and raised an eyebrow. "Anything," he went on, "so long as it doesn't involve me becoming any less human." Ah. That meant I couldn't convert him. It would defeat the purpose of sharing the scrolls content, anyways.

Lina blinked and laughed awkwardly. "We'll catch you guys at Arxentos," she said uneasily, and crept off with Gourry. Neither of us really paid them mind.

I opened my eyes and smiled fondly towards Zelgadis -- which naturally meant it was one of my best worn, conniving expressions. I unraveled the scroll after snatching it from my pocket and slowly gestured him to come towards me. "You have something I do want, Zelgadis," I said dangerously as he aided my side, looking over my shoulder. "But it's a secret; I'll take it when I want it, and you have to comply, understand?" Zelgadis nodded, oblivious to the direness of my demands as he was rather distracted with a potential cure. Quite honestly, I didn't doubt this could help to rid Zelgadis of his cure. But it couldn't be that easy to retrieve -- in fact, in having done research in my own spare time, I'd not come up with any _possible_ cure. But we'd see, wouldn't we?

"We're going to perform the spell," I told him, eyeing over the scroll. Zelgadis nodded, and I saw he was trembling. He was excited.

"How do we do it?" He asked eagerly. "Can it cure me?"

"It may very well cure you," I said wisely, and I could have sworn Zelgadis nearly toppled over, fainted.

"How do we do it?" He asked again, almost breathlessly.

I furrowed my eyebrows. How difficult… "Well, it says…oh my," my eyebrows rose, and I chuckled. "How wicked… I suppose mazoku did leave their mark here."

Zelgadis grumbled to egg me on, going mad from the suspense, and I went more to the point and simply read from the scroll straightaway: "It says here… 'Enlaced with the most zealous passion of hatred, love or lust, the lips of lovers caress the hearts of their friend or foe; not to make love, but for one of the two to overcome their woe. The inexperienced who share the same passion though not the bonds of what lovers hold hand in hand may delve into the insecurities of the unknown; each other, as they become one to heal only a half -- one other in dire need.'…" Zelgadis's face went red and he stammered. I chuckled. "Last I checked you and I weren't lovers. I don't think this would work."

"WH-what did it say about the…inexperienced?" Ah, he was still willing? Determined, as always. I repeated: "The inexperienced who share the same passion though not the bonds of what lovers hold hand in hand may delve into the insecurities of the unknown; each other, as they become one to heal only a half -- one other in dire need.' I believe that means that two people who are not lovers, and generally alien to each other, are welcome to try so long as they hold the same fervor. And in reference to earlier text, that would be the fervor of love, hate, or lust…" I opened my eyes, smirking, and glanced to him through the corner of my eye. He nervously looked away. "Is there more?" he asked. I nodded, and read on:

"…'the naïve with their zeal so strong may exchange their needs or apathy by speaking with their lips but with no sound to each other as they embrace; with their lust, love, hatred or even their power.' I suppose that means a kiss is adequate, if the passion is strong enough." I paused and chuckled, with my eyes still open.

"So what is it, Zelgadis? Lust? Love? Hatred? Passion? Which is it you hold to me?" I was expecting hatred, but Zelgadis shook his head. "I don't know. I can't say I hate you -- but you irritate me enough."

"Perhaps your desire for a cure would be enough -- a sort of passion that lies elsewhere, which would make you the half to be healed of whoever you chose as your other half for becoming 'one'." I chuckled deviously again, amused with how difficult this was for Zelgadis.

Avoiding the subject, Zelgadis went along and prodded me. "And what about you? What do you feel towards me?" I shrugged my shoulders, eyes closed and smiling once more. "Who's to say? In any case, I'd say I'd qualify for power." Zelgadis nodded, and then his face darkened with red as he looked to his feet crossly.

"…So a kiss, hm?" he asked, more to the floor it seemed than to me. Musing aloud, I held my chin in my hand. "We can't just put so much enthusiasm into a kiss and expect it to work…that's only the beginning." I looked to the scroll and sought the spell, then raised a finger triumphantly. "There's a seal somewhere that we have to stand on. And there are some other sort of ritualistic things, but we'll get to that once we find the seal."

Zelgadis, obviously rather not believing he was going to go through with this, sighed. I was the only one who could read the seal, or qualified to have a sort of excess amount in one of the things listed. "Can it work with two males?" Zelgadis asked, grumbling.

"Technically, I am genderless, if it's any consolation," I reminded him, then dragged him off by his wrist to the seal at the entrance. The chances for Zelgadis to be cured were there, but they were slim. Gender wasn't listed, but race was -- not that I told Zelgadis this. It was listed as mazoku and dragon, and it was the mazoku that was drawn in the example to being healed. Of course, I kept this from Zelgadis. Zelgadis was part mazoku, as it were, and I was full breed, so I was sure it would work. It could work between two practically of mazoku breed, couldn't it? Well, we'd see! Isn't life about adventures? I stood him on the seal, and stood in front of him, hand on his shoulder as I read through the scroll, holding it with my other hand.

"How is this of any worth to you mazoku, anyways?" Zelgadis asked awkwardly. I shrugged, my smile ever lasting. "I wasn't told. I was just asked to receive it," I responded.

That was the truth, but I had my own theories: a sort of clue as to why dragons and mazoku still fought and how it was possible for them to align. But he hadn't asked for me theories, after all. "Take off your shirt," I said, and snapped my fingers. The cloak and shirt I wore at usual vanished, and he blinked, reluctantly obliging. Before he could ask, I read aloud. "'The two must truly touch one another's hearts as they fuse their souls ever so briefly to become whole'. The illustration shows the two touching the right of each others breast…" I said idly. I'd finally finished up the key points of the scroll, placed it down (as my bag had vanished along with my cloak) and turned to Zelgadis, grinning. "Are you ready?" He grumbled, and I winked. "I promise to be gentle."

"Whatever," he said icily. "Just hurry up. I want to get this over with and see if it works." His hesitance was delicious. Obeying, I placed a hand at the cool surface of his breast and, tilting my head to the side a bit, I lowered my head so as to be able to catch my lips with his.


End file.
